Personal appearance is very important and having hair that looks good and stylish is an important part of personal grooming and personal appearance. To that end, hair styling compositions, hair coloring (particularly hair lightening) compositions and hair conditioning compositions are widely used. Hair lightening (i.e., lightening the color of hair to make it “lighter” or “blonder”, either for the entire head of hair or for certain areas of the hair (e.g., streaking) is a technique that is frequently used and highly desired.
It is generally thought to be advantageous to combine various hair care functions into a single product so that fewer products are required for purchase and use. An example of this is the shampoo plus conditioner products (2-in-1 shampoos) which have become quite popular. This provides greater convenience for the consumer (for example, a conditioner that lightens and/or styles hair, or a styling composition that lightens and/or conditions hair). The present invention combines hair styling, lightening and conditioning effects into a single composition and, in fact, provides a hair lightening effect which is greater than that which would typically be achieved using a hydrogen peroxide solution alone.
Thus, the compositions of the present invention contain hydrogen peroxide or a suitable stabilized oxidative compound which is capable of oxidizing hair melanin, in combination with a pair of polymers with one polymer being cationic in nature and the other polymer being a film-former (such as copolymers of polyvinylpyrrolidone) which, when applied to hair, results in: (a) a color lightening effect greater than that which can be achieved using a comparable hydrogen peroxide solution alone, (b) conditioning and detangling benefits, and (c) hairstyling properties. It is believed that the polymer combination leads to a lowering of the solution surface tension easing the wettability and dispersion on the hair while aiding in detangling and providing conditioning benefits. It is further believed that the film-former (fixative) polymer forms a semi-occlusive film leading to enhanced diffusion of the oxidizer into the hair, as well as providing hairstyling benefits. When combined with the use of high heat (for example, from a flat iron, curling iron or blow dryer) or exposure to UV light (natural or artificial), an even greater effect, both in terms of lightening of the melanin and hair conditioning properties, can be achieved.
PCT Published Patent Application WO 2009/080670, Lagrand et al, published Jul. 2, 2009, defines hair bleaching compositions which contain an alkanolamine, an amino acid, and polyethoxylated sorbitan esters. Compositions containing cationic conditioner polymers (polyquats) are disclosed. However, there does not appear to be any suggestion to include styling polymers in the defined compositions.
PCT Published Patent Application WO 2009/109345, Pratt et al, published Sep. 11, 2009, defines hair bleaching compositions which are said to minimize development of heat during the bleaching operation. The compositions include at least one compound with a bleaching and/or highlighting effect, and a calcium salt. The exemplified compositions include a bleaching compound together with a cationic polymer, but do not include a hairstyling polymer.
EPO Published Patent Application EP 1 878 469, Bureiko et al, published Jan. 16, 2008, defines hair coloring and bleaching compositions which are said to provide improved lift, lightening and color delivery, while minimizing damage and scalp sensory irritation. The compositions comprise a peroxide and a thickening gel network which includes a mixture of high and low HLB nonionic surfactants. The application includes a general disclosure of polymers including cationic polymers, but includes no disclosure or exemplification of hair styling polymers or of combinations of cationic polymers and styling polymers.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2009/0175804, Jennings et al, published Jul. 9, 2009, defines a class of new cationic hair care polymers which may be used in hair care compositions to provide styling and conditioning benefits. The application includes generic language regarding hair coloring compositions. Example 63 discloses the use of the new cationic polymers together with a cationic hair care polymer material (polyquat-6) in a hair conditioner composition. The application does not appear to suggest the inclusion of styling polymers in those compositions.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2009/0214447, Jennings et al, published Aug. 27, 2009, describes cationic nanoparticles which may be used in hair care products for providing conditioning benefits. The application includes an incidental mention of hair dying compositions. The application does not appear to include a disclosure of hair styling polymers or of a combination of cationic polymers and hair styling polymers in a peroxide-containing composition.
Although hair lightening compositions, such as Nordic Blonde and Sun-In are commercially available, those compositions, while including hydrogen peroxide, do not appear to include a combination of cationic polymers and hair styling polymers as is required by the present invention.